U.S. patent number 4,574,420 [Application Number 06/583,437] was granted by the patent office on 1986-03-11 for versatile particle collector apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to NFE International, Ltd.. Invention is credited to George T. Dupre.
United States Patent |
4,574,420 |
Dupre |
March 11, 1986 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Versatile particle collector apparatus
Abstract
A portable particle separator mounted on a frame with a
collection chamber for particles and a vertical lifting unit having
a pair of articulated parallel frame support elements hydraulically
driven so that the collection chamber can be vertically moved to
transfer particles to a dump truck. The particle separator includes
a self-contained collection chamber with multiple inner chambers
sealed by a common door. In an alternative embodiment, the portable
particle separator includes a front floor conduit to pick up bulk
particles and a front set of sweeper floor nozzles for small size
particles.
Inventors: |
Dupre; George T. (Barrington
Hills, IL) |
Assignee: |
NFE International, Ltd.
(Bensenville, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
24333090 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/583,437 |
Filed: |
February 24, 1984 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/331; 15/340.1;
15/352; 55/341.1; 55/345; 55/356; 55/432 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01H
1/0836 (20130101); B01D 50/002 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01D
50/00 (20060101); E01H 1/08 (20060101); E01H
1/00 (20060101); E01H 001/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;15/340,331,352,346
;55/429,432 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Moore; Chris K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Marshall, O'Toole, Gerstein, Murray
& Bicknell
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A portable particle separator apparatus comprising:
a frame;
drive means connected to one end of said frame for moving said
frame;
a particle separator, having an air inlet and an air outlet, for
removing particles from an airstream coupled to said air inlet,
said particle separator including a plurality of sequential
particle separator stages wherein particles are removed from said
airstream in traversing between said air inlet and said air outlet,
said particle separator having a respective collection chamber for
collecting said particles removed from said airstream by an
associated particle separator stage;
means for enabling an airstream coupled to said particle separator
air inlet to sequentially pass through said plurality of separator
stages and exit through said air outlet;
said particle separator including a hopper portion with a plurality
of elongated interior collection sections each communicating with a
respective collection chamber at one collection section end and
extending downwardly transverse to a respective outlet section end
such that the outlet section ends are in substantial vertical
alignment, and pivotable door means for selecting sealing the
outlet section ends during operation of said particle separator
stages and for unsealing said outlet section ends to enable
transfer of said collected particles from said hopper portion;
mounting means for mounting said particle separator on said frame
with the substantially vertically aligned outlet section ends
maintained within the vertical projection of said frame; and
said mounting means including lifting means movably connecting said
particle separator to said frame for lifting said separator in
substantially vertical alignment with respect to said frame while
maintaining the substantially vertically aligned outlet section
ends within the vertical projection of said frame to enable
transfer of said removed particles from said collection
chamber.
2. A portable particle separator apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said frame is Z-shaped with a lower flat portion and an
upper flat portion respectively extending in opposite directions
outwardly from a central portion, and wherein said mounting means
includes a pair of substantiallly vertical support columns mounted
on said upper flat portion and respective pairs of parallel support
members each pivotally mounted at one end to one of said vertical
support columns and at the other end to said particle separator so
that the particle separator is substantially vertically over the
frame lower flat portion.
3. A portable particle separator apparatus according to claim 2,
including hydraulic drive lift means mounted between said particle
separator and said frame central portion for lifting said particle
separator with respect to said frame lower portion.
4. A portable particle separator apparatus according to claim 1,
including,
bulk pick-up nozzle means for connection to said air inlet to
couple a particle laden airstream to said air inlet;
front sweeper means mounted to said vehicle, including sweeper
nozzles locatable ahead of said vehicle to pick up small particles
as said vehicle is moving;
flexible conduit means for interconnecting said sweeper nozzles to
said air inlet; and
operable valve means intermediate said air inlets on one side and
said bulk pick-up nozzles means and said flexible conduit means on
the other side for enabling selective communication between said
air inlet and either said bulk pick-up nozzle means or said
flexible conduit means.
5. A portable particle separator apparatus according to claim 1,
including;
blower means rigidly mounted to said frame having a blower outlet
communicating with the atmosphere and a blower inlet; and
a flexible air conduit connected between said particle separator
air outlet and said blower inlet for enabling said airstream to be
sequentially drawn through said plurality of particle separator
stages so that said airstream entering said blower means and
eventually exiting said blower outlet is substantially free of said
particles, including means for maintaining said flexible air
conduit connected between said particle separator air outlet and
said blower inlet during said lifting movement of said particle
separator.
Description
This invention relates to vacuum type apparatus for separating and
collecting particles from an airstream, and in particular to
portable, multiple separator/collector stage units for performing
such operations on wet or dry particulate material such as sand,
metal and wood chips, gravel, slag, cement, plastic pellets, mill
scale, etc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Reference may be made to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. of interest:
3,780,502; 4,062,664; 4,111,670; 4,174,206; and 4,224,043.
There are presently available commercial devices capable of
collecting relatively heavy, bulk, particulate material in
foundries and other manufacturing and service facilities. Such
units, as for instance, shown in one or more of the
above-identified patents of interest, are powerful, heavy duty
industrial type units ranging between 25 hp and 150 hp. Such units
can readily collect bulk particulate material, but are not
particularly adapted for use in cleaning floors of small amounts of
particles. While there also are presently commercially available
the market vacuum collecting devices much smaller than the
aforementioned heavy duty vacuum collecting devices, such smaller
devices can only be used for the single purpose of cleaning floors
of small size particles, they are not adapted for pick up of large
amounts of bulk material nor for pick up of heavy or large size
particles.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a single vacuum collecting
unit of a portable type and which may be utilized to readily pick
up large amounts of bulk material as well as small amounts of fine
material.
In addition, it is desired to provide such a useful portable
particle pick up unit with self-contained collecting chambers for
receiving and collecting the particles separated from each of the
separator stages. In particular, it is desired to thereafter enable
the self-contained collection chambers to be readily emptied into
standard dump trucks so that the collected particles can be
removed. Present particle separator units require a fork lift truck
to remove the filled particle collection hopper or require somewhat
complex tilting mechanisms for removing the collected
particles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, one
aspect thereof is concerned with providing a portable particle
separator apparatus which includes a frame, drive means, such as a
tow tractor for moving the frame, a multistage particle separator
mounted on the frame including a plurality of collection chambers
and respectively associated vertically aligned collection hopper
outlet section ends for collecting particles removed from an
airstream, and lifting means movably connecting the particle
separator to the frame for lifting the separator in substantially
vertical alignment to the frame so as to enable transfer of the
separated particles from the collection chamber. The vertical
lifting means comprises a pair of articulated parallelogram support
elements one end of which is mounted to the frame and the other end
is connected to the particle separator unit. A pair of hydraulic
piston/cylinders mounted intermediate the frame and the particle
separator unit move the particle separator with respect to the
frame, the movement being confined by the pair of articulated
parallelogram support members so that the movement is in
substantially vertical alignment to the frame with the hopper
outlet section ends maintained within the vertical projection of
the frame. This permits the particle collection chamber in the
separator unit to be readily placed in position to transfer the
particles from the collection chamber to, for instance, a dump
truck.
Further features are provided in accordance with other aspects of
the invention. In particular, a flexible air conduit connects the
particle separator air outlet and a blower mounted on the frame.
Thus, when the particle separator unit is vertically moved with
respect to the frame, the blower inlet is connected to the flexible
air conduit so as to prevent possibly damaging particles from
entering the blower during movement of the particle separator.
Furthermore, the particle separator unit includes three particle
separator stages--a cyclone separator first stage, a linear
accelerator second stage, and a filter third stage, each stage of
which includes a self-contained collection chamber for the
separated particles. All three collection chambers are in turn
sealed off by a door having a rubber sealing edge normally
maintained in contact with the perimeter of the collection
chambers. Hydraulic operating means are provided for pivoting the
door from its sealed position to open the collection chambers and
thereby permit transfer of the collected particles from the
collection chambers.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the
portable particle separator apparatus as defined above with
vertical means includes a floor sweeper attachment to the front of
the drive means enabling the pick up of fine material such as
during floor cleaning operations. In particular, the attachment
includes a plurality of sweeper floor nozzles spring mounted to the
front of the tow tractor such that the nozzle inlet is adjacent the
floor to sweep clean and pick up by vacuum small particles such as
fines. A manifold interconnects the floor nozzles to a flexible
conduit which in turn is connected to the air inlet of the particle
separator unit through a suitable valve mechanism. As an
alternative embodiment, there may be further included an additional
conduit extending from the front manifold with the conduit end
terminating adjacent and slightly ahead of the front sweeper
nozzles. This additional floor conduit may be used to pick up bulk
particles on the floor ahead of the sweeper floor nozzles.
Accordingly, there is provided a versatile, portable particle
separator apparatus wherein the collected particles may be more
readily transferred from the collection chambers; wherein
vertically lifting the particle separator with respect to the frame
does not leave the blower inlet open to the atmosphere; wherein the
collection chambers of the particle separator stages are sealed off
by a single door enabling transfer of all collected particles by
merely pivotting the door; a floor sweeper nozzle attachment is
provided to pick up small size particles in a floor sweeping action
during movement of the particle separator drive means; and a front
bulk pick up conduit may be provided in advance of the floor
sweeper nozzles so that both bulk material as well as fines can be
collected in a sweeping action through movement of the particle
separator drive means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be best understood by reference to the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference numerals identify like elements in the several
figures and in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a versatile, portable particle separator
apparatus with vertical lifting means and front sweeper floor
nozzles;
FIG. 2 is a fragmented side elevational view of the particle
separator of FIG. 1, illustrating a pair of articulated
parallelogram members enabling vertical lifting of the particle
separator and collection chambers for simultaneous dumping of all
collected particles;
FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the particle separator
apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the front sweeper floor nozzles in more
detail;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the particle separator unit of FIG.
1, illustrating the three separator stages, the respective
collection chambers, and the common door sealing all of the
collection chambers;
FIG. 5 is a fragmented side elevational view of an alternative
embodiment illustrating spring mounted front sweeper floor
nozzles;
FIG. 6 is a fragmented top view of the alternative embodiment
illustrating front sweeper floor nozzles and manifold with an
additional front conduit added for bulk particle pick up; and
FIG. 7 is a fragmented front view of the alternative embodiment
illustrating the front sweeper floor nozzles, manifold and front
bulk pick up.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, there is illustrated a
versatile, portable particle separator apparatus 10 which includes
a multiple stage particle separator 12 mounted on a frame 14 which
in turn is moved by a tow tractor 16. As may be seen with reference
to FIGS. 1 and 2, frame 14 is Z-shaped with a lower horizontal flat
portion 18 with wheels 20 mounted thereto, and an upper horizontal
flat portion 22 mounted to bed 24 of tractor 16 by means of a
suitable pivotal connection 26. It us understood of course that
tractor 16 includes suitable gas, electric or other drive means for
moving the tractor on wheels 28 and thereby towing the multiple
stage particle separator. A driver's position 30, steering wheel 32
and operating conole 34 are provided to enable the driver to
operate tractor 16 as well as the particle separator.
One side 36 of the particle separator is mounted by respective
upper and lower articulated parallelogram supports 38, 40 to frame
14 by means of a pair of rigid vertical columns 42. Columns 42 are
mounted on opposite sides of frame 14 and extend upwardly from
horizontal flat frame portion 22 as shown in FIG. 3.
Upper articulated parallelogram support 38 includes a pair of
support members 44 on respective opposite sides of the particle
separator; a rigid rear support bar 46 rigidly mounted to particle
separator side 36 and pivotally joined at connection 47 to one end
of each support member 44; and the other end 48 pivotally mounted
by means of a suitable pin 50 to vertical member 42. A cross brace
member may be used to interconnect the respective ends 48 of each
of the side members 44.
Lower articulated parallelogram support member 40 is formed in a
similar manner with a pair of support members 52 on opposite sides
of the particle separator, each being pivotally mounted at pivot
connection 54 to a back support rod 56 rigidly connected to
particle separator side 36. The opposite end 58 of each support
member 52 is mounted to a respective vertical member 42 by means of
a pivotal connection 60.
Two hydraulic lifting cylinders 62 are provided with a lower end 64
pivotally mounted to frame 14. Piston 66 is in turn connected to
side 68 of particle separator 12 by means of a pivotal connection
70 to a rigid bracket 72.
Accordingly, separator unit 12 may be vertically moved from the
operating position shown in FIG. 1 to the vertically lifted
position shown in FIG. 2 for transferring collected particles
within the collection chambers of separator 12. Operation of
hydraulic cylinder/piston units 62 by the operator through control
of a suitable hydraulic supply line (not shown) extends respective
pistons 66 to vertically lift the particle separator stages. As can
be seen by comparing FIGS. 1 and 2, articulated parallelogram
support 38, 40 enable the movement in a substantially vertically
aligned direction upwardly from frame 14 with the entire particle
separator maintained within the vertical projection of the frame.
This constrained movement enables the respective collection
chambers in hopper portion 74 (FIG. 4) to be raised high enough so
that the collected particles may be transferred to a dump truck 76
when a hydraulic door cylinder 78 is operated to open door 80.
Referring to FIG. 4, the multiple stage separator 12 includes a
first stage cyclone separator 82, a second stage linear accelerator
separator 84, and a third stage bag filter separator section 86. An
incoming air stream is coupled through inlet 88 with the outgoing
clean airstream coupled through an air outlet 90 and flexible
conduit 92 to the inlet of a blower 94. Thus, an incoming airstream
with particles coupled to air inlet 88 is passed through each
separator stage and clean air is exhausted from the blower exhaust
outlet 95 to the atmosphere.
Particle separator 12 includes hopper portion 74 formed integrally
therewith below the respective collection chambers for the
separator stages. After separation in each stage, the separated
particles are collected in respective interior collection sections
96, 98 and 100 formed in hopper portion 74 as downwardly transverse
outlet section extensions of each separator collection chamber. As
seen in FIG. 4, the hopper outlet section ends are substantially
vertical alignment, one end directly above the other. Door 80
includes a rubber seal 102 for sealing off all of the hopper outlet
section ends simultaneously. Therefore, when the door 80 is opened,
the hopper outlet section ends are opened so as to enable
simultaneous transfer of all of the collected particles from the
separator stages.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, floor sweepers 110 are mounted at
the front of the tow truck by means of a hydraulic cylinder/piston
112 and suitable mounting brackets 114. Operation of hydraulic
piston/cylinder 112 permits the floor sweepers 110 to be lowered
into operating position and to be raised into a non-operating
position.
Floor sweepers 110 include floor nozzles 116, 118, each of which
includes an upper portion 120 having a top cylindrical shaped
portion 122 with upper body portion 120 tapering outwardly and
terminating in a narrow elongated rectangular opening at bottom
section 124. Bottom section 124 is located immediately above floor
level 126 during operation. A resilient backing strip 128 formed of
rubber or other resilient material is suitably mounted on bottom
section 124 so as to extend from section 124 and enable small
particles or fines on floor 126 to be swept or moved into position
for suction pick up at bottom nozzle section 124.
Flexible conduits 130 are coupled through a Y adapter connection to
flexible hose conduit 132 to communicate with valve 134 at
separator air inlet 88. Valve 134 also includes an input for
coupling flexible conduit 136 as an alternative to the floor
sweeper 110.
It is to be understood of course that in the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 1-4, in the case of substantially large size particles, or
for bulk material particle pick up must be made through conduit
136. Where floor cleaning by pick up of small size particles and
fines is required, this can be accomplished by using floor sweeper
110. In either event, when collection chambers 96, 98 and/or 100
have filled, or when transfer of the collected particles is
otherwise desired, all of the collected particles can be
transferred in one operation. The operator at that time operates
hydraulic cylinder 62 to raise particle separator 12 from the
normal particle pick up position shown in FIG. 1 to the collected
particle transfer position shown in FIG. 2. A dump truck 76 or
other suitable transfer mechanism is then located below collection
hopper 74 containing collection chambers 96, 98 and 100. The
operator then operates cylinder 78 to open door 80 thereby allowing
transfer of the collected particles into the dump truck.
Thus, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 permits the collection of a
full range of particle sizes and bulk pick up through rear conduit
136, or floor cleaning and the collection of small size particles
through front sweeper 110; permits ready transfer of the collected
particles by vertically raising the particle separator unit with
attached collection chambers in a perpendicular, vertically aligned
movement with respect to frame 14 to permit ready transfer to a
dump truck; enables movement of the particle separator stages with
respect to the suction blower without opening the blower inlet; and
provides an extremely compact, portable particle separator which
may be readily moved where needed with the capability of either
rear bulk pick up or front floor sweeper particle pick up.
Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, there is illustrated an alternative
embodiment of a floor sweeper unit. Front sweeper 140 includes
three floor nozzles 142 for collecting small size particles and a
nozzle end 144 of conduit 145 for bulk pick up of particles
including large and medium size particles. A mounting bracket 138
with attached spring hinge 139 and closure plate 141 at nozzle end
144 permit an operator to open the nozzle end by pulling line 143.
Releasing line 143 allows the spring hinge to pivot the closure
plate and seal off nozzle end 144, thereby permitting particle pick
up by nozzles 142.
Each floor nozzle 142 is formed of a unitary member having openings
146 at the bottom thereof and an outlet 148 at the top. Wheels 150
are mounted to nozzle 142 at an adjustable desired position
permitting openings 146 to be located immediately adjacent and
above floor 126. Suitable flexible connectors such as elbows 151
are coupled to one end of a return conduit 152, the other end of
conduit 152 connected to manifold 154. The flexible connector
elbows permit nozzles 142 to accommodate and follow variations in
the floor surface.
Each of the floor nozzles 142 is connected to manifold 154 in a
similar manner. Manifold 154 is in turn connected to conduit 156.
Bulk floor conduit 145 and conduit 156 are connected through a
suitable Y connector to flexible conduit 132 for return to valve
134 mounted on particle separator air inlet 88.
Each floor nozzle 142 includes a pair of spring biased members 160
mounted on opposite nozzle ends and extending upwardly for
attachment to a channel member 170 which in turn is welded or
otherwise secured to the frame of tractor 16. Thus, nozzles 142 are
maintained in a resilient, spring biased position with wheels 150
in rolling contact on floor 126 as tractor 16 is movably driven. As
shown most clearly in FIGS. 5 and 6, each floor nozzle 142 is
separately mounted with the middle nozzle extending somewhat
slightly ahead of the nozzles on either side thereof.
Thus, the alternative front pick up attachment of FIGS. 5-7
advantageously enables the operator to utilize front bulk pick up
or the front sweeper attachment. All of the aforementioned
advantages of the embodiment FIGS. 1-4 would also apply to the
embodiment of FIGS. 5-7.
The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of
understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be
understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those
skilled in the art.
* * * * *